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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26024845">Moments Like This</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thehurtyouwant/pseuds/thehurtyouwant'>thehurtyouwant</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>MacGyver (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:29:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26024845</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thehurtyouwant/pseuds/thehurtyouwant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As they move slowly to the music, bodies press dangerously close, amusement gone and replaced with desire…moments like this, she thinks that maybe she's not crazy. Maybe there's more to them. MacRiley angst. ALso posting on ff.net &amp; Tumblr</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Riley Davis &amp; Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>MacGyver (TV 2016)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. One Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter One- One Dance</p><p>"Riley!" The shrill panic of Mac's voice startles her out of a light sleep. She scrambles around the bed, knocking over the opened laptop. She must have fallen asleep while coding. Fueled by adrenaline, she reaches for the gun under her pillow-because that's the kind of life she leads now- and stumbles out of bed.</p><p>"Riley…" She hears again as she reaches for her bedroom door, ready to walk into what could be a horrific scene completely unprepared but she hears the need in his voice and she doesn't know what she'll do with herself if something happens to Mac.</p><p>She begins searching the house, it's clouded in darkness and she gets a glimpse of the time on the cable box, 10:05, she must have dozed off early.</p><p>"Mac?" She calls for him when she's cleared the ground floor. "Riles," She hears his voice and knows it's coming from the deck. She races up the stairs, heart hammering beneath her chest, thoughts racing with the gazillion of emergencies it could be this time.</p><p>She's assaulted by warm night air when she gets to the deck and puts her gun back on safety when her eyes fall on Mac. He looks at her as if she was the one who startled him.</p><p>"Mac," she bends over and gulps as much air as she can to fill her burning lungs, "what the hell?"</p><p>"What?" he says, not realizing how scared she had been. He's not in any distress, in fact, this is the most relaxed she's seen him since facing off with his aunt and Codex. His hair is tussled, his shirt is open-flapping in the wind and he's smiling. Saxophone music plays softly in the background and his feet won't stop tapping to it.</p><p>"I thought there was an emergency," she said and realization finally changes his expression to a deep cringe.</p><p>"Sorry Riles, I just wanted a dance partner," he says with a boyish smile.</p><p>Now able to breathe through her nose again, she turns on her heels, intending to go back to her room to get her heart rate back down and maybe chide herself for her gross over reaction a little later. Mac has other plans however, he dances over to her and takes her hand in his, leading her back onto the deck.</p><p>"Dance with me, please, just one dance," he asks but he's pulling her into his arms before he gets an answer.</p><p>He clasps her right hand in his left and places his right hand on the small of her back. Using the same precision and focus he would to disable a bomb, he moves them around the deck.</p><p>Once she's close enough to smell his aftershave she becomes self-conscious. She fell asleep in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts from one of her exes, she couldn't remember which one. Mac seems to care about none of it, not even her unkept hair, full of knots, flapping in his face because of the windy night. She grumbles when it flaps into her own face and she hears him chuckle.</p><p>She flips it over her shoulder with an awkward neck move but when she looks back at Mac, he seems enthralled by her ministrations.</p><p>"I'm glad I can amuse you," she says, meaning it to be edgy but it exits her mouth in a playful tone that she hates.</p><p>"You're on a roll tonight," he moves them around the firepit and she struggles to keep up but he leads in a way that she wants to follow, "but I do have to say that I will sleep better knowing you're ready to throwdown with your gun for me." He teases and she scuffs but says nothing. She's getting very comfortable in his arms, swaying to the music. The tension eases out of her muscles starting from her neck, down to her shoulders and then to her upper, middle and lower back. The relief makes her shudder in his arms.</p><p>He mistakes her shudders as a sign that she's cold and pulls her closer in his arms, now flush against his chest. He rubs small circles on her back, trying to warm her up and she practically melts into his chest at the skinship. Before the remainder of her resolve shrivels up and dies, she looks up and says, "don't you have a girlfriend to dance to saxophone music with?" This time it comes out as edgy as she means it but it seems to go over his head as his face remains the same, calm and relaxed.</p><p>"First off, this is not just 'saxophone music'…this, is Duke Ellington." He says and Riley shrugs by way of response. He pretends to be offended at her nonchalance then laughs light-heartedly.</p><p>"Desi is out getting us dinner," he says, dipping her. Their noses are almost touching and suddenly the mention of his girlfriend seems trivial. He pulls her back up sharply to his firm chest and she bites her bottom lip to keep a gasp in her throat. She lets her head drop to his shoulder, giving in completely to the moment. They sway to the music in unison, synced up in every way, maybe even down to their heartbeat. She would confirm if she were right if she could hear anything above her own rhythmic heartbeat. Her senses are entuned to his, she moves as he moves, her skin burns wherever it makes contact with his bare skin.</p><p>As they move slowly to the music, bodies press dangerously close, amusement gone and replaced with desire…moments like this, she thinks that maybe she's not crazy. Maybe there could be more to them. She couldn't be the only one feeling this? Could she?</p><p>"You know what's funny," he says, pulling her out of her reverie.</p><p>She stirs in his arms but he pulls her right back to his chest, either because of his reflexes or something else…she doesn't know.</p><p>"This is the first time I feel like I could breathe…in a long time."</p><p>The sincerity in his tone makes her chest tighten, her mouth dry and her throat close up. She doesn't know how to respond: she could ask why Desi doesn't make him feel like that, she could tell him she feels the exact same way or she could lean up and kiss him…</p><p>She doesn't have to choose because the front door slams close jolts them apart like they had just been implicated in a courtly affair. His gaze falls on her as they hear Desi's footsteps approaching the deck. She looks away from him, turns her back to him and looks over the railing at the night sky. She's trying to blink away tears and steady her heartbeat. Only when she gets a control on her emotions does she turn around and lean against the railing, assuming an innocent stance. What was she doing? What kind sadist did this to themselves? He wasn't hers for the taking. How many times did she need to be reminded of that?</p><p>When Desi reaches the deck, she addresses Riley first, like Mac wasn't even standing there.</p><p>"Oh, Riley, are you joining us for dinner?" she then looks at Mac with a strange look, "good thing I always over buy."</p><p>Riley swallows the lump in her throat and says, "I have plans actually," This gets her a short glance from Mac who is still dodging Desi's x-ray glare. It's absurd but Riley feels like Desi suspects she had just interrupted something. She brushes past both of them without making eye contact, goodbyes landing on her back as she descends the stairs as fast as possible.</p><p>Moments like this, she wishes she never met him.</p><p>Read &amp; Review 3</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Excuses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Two- Excuses</p><p>The moment Riley knew she had to come up with a good excuse was the moment she was done for. Sitting in a car with Mac would have been fine, even with her new feelings it would have been fine. She had been just his friend for so long, it was surprisingly easy to pretend to be just that, his friend. Trying to triangulate the phone of an animal smuggler was plenty distraction but the previous night they had made things incredibly awkward.</p><p>After fleeing Mac's house last night, she had showed up at Bozer's place with her laptop bag and a pout.</p><p>When he swung open his door he was exasperated…but not surprised. "Again?" he stepped aside and let her into his apartment.</p><p>She trudged in, head hung low and headed for the couch that she knew so well at this point.</p><p>"Where do they think you go?" he said, referring to the many nights she had shown up at his apartment. Riley shrugged, no one ever really asked what her 'plans' were.</p><p>She started to unloaded her laptop bag when Bozer lowered himself on the coffee table in front of her.</p><p>"You can't keep living like this you know," he stated, "one of these nights I'm going to have company already."</p><p>As unlikely as it sounded, she still nodded. She already felt guilty about dropping by unannounced. It had become something of a habit. Whenever Mac and Desi's love life became too much for her to bear, she jumped shipped and landed on Bozer's couch.</p><p>"I thought you were looking for apartments…"</p><p>Riley opened her laptop, fingers hovered over the keyboard and thought for a moment. Bozer was a good friend solely because he always called her out.</p><p>"I was. I am-I mean…" she fumbled over her words and his expression softened.</p><p>"After everything that happened with his aunt, I just thought I would stick around to see if he needed me." It was half true. She was worried about him, opening up wasn't his thing and if she were honest, it wasn't her thing either.</p><p>Bozer nodded and said, "and has he?"</p><p>He didn't wait for the 'no' he got up from the table and retrieved a pillow and blanket from his hallway closet.</p><p>"I'll see you in the morning." He left her with a tight-lipped smile and returned to his bedroom.</p><p>Looking back at her blank browser, she took a deep breath and typed in .</p><p>Unsurprisingly, she didn't get the best sleep on Bozer's couch. She left his apartment pretty early the next morning and was back at Mac's just before six am. She tried her best to be quiet opening the door, she even went as far to take off her shoes. As she backed into the house she heard, "good morning," Her heart lurched and her shoes went flying out of her hands. When she spun around Mac was waiting by the door with a banana and a cup of coffee in his hands.</p><p>"Eh-em, good morning." She thought he had more to say as he didn't move, perhaps he wanted her divulge where she had been all night but she wasn't going to, how much more pathetic could she get?</p><p>"I'll see you at headquarters," she scurried off to her room but she felt his eyes burning holes in her back.</p><p>At headquarters, they were in the break room waiting for Matty to call them in for a briefing. Mac was telling Desi about the time he escaped custody at the Russian consulate with just a wire hanger and cardboard box. Riley was half listening but she was scrolling through apartments when her battery flashed red for critical. She had been in such a strange headspace last night into this morning she must have forgotten her laptop charger. In fact, she couldn't even remember where she had last seen it.</p><p>"Damn it," she said, gaining the attention of Mac. "What's wrong?" he said.</p><p>She looked up from her laptop, shaking her head, ready to dismiss it to him but he was perked up, ready to listen.</p><p>"I just must have forgotten my laptop charger at-" She swallowed her last words. She didn't exactly have been a plausible lie about where she was last night so she just let it hang in the air and closed down her laptop.</p><p>She got up and gathered her things. "I'll see you guys in the briefing." She had just closed the break room doors when she bounced up Bozer, who was on his way in, he was holding her charger wrapped up in his hands.</p><p>"You forgot this in your rush," Bozer said.</p><p>"You're a life saver," she said. Only when her eyes followed Bozer into the break room did she realize the breakroom doors were glass. And Mac had seen the whole interaction. And he was looking right at her. And his expression told her he had put two and two together. And she was dead.</p><p>She was mortified, she hurried off, in hindsight, making herself look even more guilty.</p><p>He had probably thought her 'plans' were exciting excursions or even clubbing. Now he knew it was just Bozer. She had turned down so many plans with Mac and sometimes Mac and Desi using the excuse of 'fun plans'. Now, she had major damage control to do.</p><p>That's why she wants to be anywhere but in this car with Mac. The tension is all consuming and she can hardly concentrate on the hack. They have to wait until the smugglers contacts the buyer but the minutes stretch long and slow.</p><p>Another minute rolls by and she finally cracks but he beats her to it before she can open her mouth.</p><p>"So your plans have been with Bozer this whole time?" he says. She swallows hard before nodding slowly, not trusting her voice yet.</p><p>He pauses for a moment of thought before saying, "So, what is it that you guys do?"</p><p>She shrugs, "nothing special. Just hang out. Play video games, talk."</p><p>"Right," he nods, "you could do all those things at my place is all…"</p><p>He sounds so hurt, it throws her off. It's not what she was expecting, she was expecting pity.</p><p>He scratches the back of his head and says, "I guess what I'm asking is, what can you talk to Bozer about that you can't talk to me about?"</p><p>He so did not want to know Riley thought. He continues saying, "we're the three musketeers is all…"</p><p>She loves how Desi isn't part their history but hates herself for it immediately. None of it was Desi's fault, and that made her angrier. She didn't ask for these feelings, nor could she pinpoint the exact moment she had started seeing him as more than just a friend.</p><p>"If you don't want to hang with me, you could have just said so. You didn't have to-"</p><p>She finally finds her voice and says, "Mac, it's not like that," She takes a deep breath and twists her body to look at him in the driver's seat.</p><p>"I just…I want to give you and Desi the space you need. I'm sure you don't want me hanging around all the time,"</p><p>He looks at her like she's crazy. "You're our friend and we love having you around. It's your home too Riles." Relieved that he buys her excuse she tries to seal the deal with a reassuring smile.</p><p>"You know," he chuckles, scratching his forehead, "Desi thought you were dating someone and that's where you always run off to."</p><p>She shakes her heard. "I'm not dating anyone. I'm not ready to put myself out there yet. Once I do, heart break is inevitable."</p><p>The smile falls from his lips as his gaze intensifies. "That's kinda grim Riles," He looks at her serious now, with prying eyes and she feels like she's naked and in a glass box under his gaze.</p><p>She shakes her head, "with my luck, not grim enough."</p><p>Mac is about to push the subject further but her laptop lights up as the trace begins.</p><p>Back at headquarters, Riley is logging the case file onto Phoenix's mainframe when Mac strolls into the lab. He looks so easy going after risking his life all day. It's something she always admired but as of late she finds it extremely sexy.</p><p>"Hey, I'm taking off. You ready to head home?" The word home sounds ironic to her, she hadn't felt at home anywhere in a while. And now the last thing she wants to do is share a car with the Mac and Desi. Though Desi isn't officially living with Mac, she's there so often she might as well be.</p><p>"You guys go on, I'll catch up." He seems disappointed but she doesn't change her mind. He bows his head then leaves her in the lab alone. The file upload is complete ten minutes later but she stays in the lab and continues searching for apartments. When she's narrowed it down to five possible, Bozer enters the lab with a bag of Chinese takeout.</p><p>"I figured you wouldn't want to go home yet he says, sliding unto the chair opposite hers.</p><p>"Thanks Bozer," she starts unloading the boxes of food, "this is exactly what I needed."</p><p>"I know exactly what you're going through, remember," he says and she nods.</p><p>A sixth sense tells her she's being watched and she looks up and sees Mac behind the heavy glass doors. What was he still doing here? Waiting on her? Literally looking on the outside in, he gives her a nod before turning on his heels and leaving.</p><p>Bozer was waist deep in fried rice and looked back to see what Riley was looking at. When he sees nothing, he turns back around with an inquiring look.</p><p>She shakes her head, "It's nothing," she was going to need a strong drink to get through the night.</p><p>Read &amp; Review :)</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Sobering Thoughts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Three- Sobering Thoughts</p><p>Riley stumbles out of the cab and manages to get all the way to the front door without falling over. She can smell the whiskey on her breath and regrets the entire night. Once at the front door she tries to center herself but the world keeps spinning. She feels like she's on a merry go round, but not the fun kind of ride. This ride is uncontrollably fast and she wants off. She digs into her bag for her keys but it slips out of her hand to the floor with a loud thud. Bending over to pick it up, the world flips upside down and suddenly she's on the floor next to the knapsack. She yelps loudly and covers her mouth as if the sound hadn't already escaped her lips.</p><p>She forgets what she was doing on the floor and just sits there outside the locked house. Her head falls into her palms as the spinning gets more intense. She remembers leaving headquarters after sending Bozer home. She remembers the dimly lit bar she winded up in, the creeps buying her drinks all night and the bartender calling her a cab. She doesn't know what time it is but she guesses its time to find her keys and get off the floor. Rifling through her bag again, her fingers close in on the bunch of keys same time the front door swings open.</p><p>"Riley?" Mac's in his boxers and a rumpled t-shirt, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. She's drunk but still feels sting of shame. She's a mess and he has a front row seat to the train wreck.</p><p>"What are you doing on the floor," he extends his hands to her and helps her up but having something strong and firm beneath her makes her go slack and he's not ready for all the weight that she puts on him. They both stumble into the house.</p><p>"Whoah, Riley?"</p><p>Mac gets his footing soon enough and hoists her up with one arm while the other closes and locks the door.</p><p>"You're wasted," he says but her drunk mind cannot tell if his tone is judgmental or not, angry or not. She's not sure she wants to know either. She just knows she wants to get away from him, limit the embarrassment she already feels.</p><p>She pries herself out of his arms and stands on her own, "I just had a little bit, I swear." She can't believe she's being that drunk person refusing to admit they're drunk but the words tumble from her lips before she can stop it.</p><p>"Mhm, I'm sure," he says, "Let's get you to bed,"</p><p>Before he can touch her, she feels the burning in her throat and the vomit spews from her mouth. She bends over and can't stop the puking, landing on the floor and splashing unto her shoes. She gets dizzy and almost topples over but Mac's steadying arms are around her in an instant, holding back her hair and rubbing her back. Why did he have to be so sweet? And why did she have to be so pathetic?</p><p>With a now empty stomach, she dry heaves until her throat hurts. The moment it subsides is the moment she burst into tears. Like a dam has been broken and she's finally able to mourn the thing she's never had, Mac. He's still reeling from the shock of the entire thing, he doesn't look sure what to make of her tears.</p><p>He guides her to her room. Sets her on the bed and stoops in front of her. She feels his hands work the boots off of her feet and though the world is spinning, he steadies her.</p><p>"I'm sorry, for everything," she says, her first sober thought f the night. She wipes at her eyes and then strips off her leather jacket.</p><p>He shakes his head. "You can make it up to me by telling me what's going on with you?" Once her shoes are off, he stands up with his hands on his hips and waits an explanation.</p><p>"Nothing," she tries but he doesn't even come close to buying it.</p><p>"Riley all the years I've known you, I've never seen you drink that much."</p><p>She shrugs quietly, tight lipped. He sighs loudly, not hiding his exasperation.</p><p>"But you can tell Bozer about it?" He clenches his jaw and she flinches at his cold look. She hates all of it.</p><p>"You should get changed, I'm gonna go clean up, I'll be back to check on you." He closes her room door and she's left with her mess. She's able to work her jeans off her hips and leaves it in a pile by her bed. She finds pajama bottoms and slips them on. She's working a tank top over her head when her door swings open.</p><p>Mac shuts his eyes and spins around, "Sorry, should have knocked."</p><p>"It's okay," After everything he has seen tonight, she's barely skittish about him seeing her stomach. "You can turn around." She's sinking herself into bed when he turns around. He has a bucket and a glass of water in his hands.</p><p>"Brought you these," he sets them down and sits on the bed next to her.</p><p>"Are you okay?"</p><p>She shrugs, can he see right through her? Is her glamour failing?</p><p>She takes a sip of the water just to have something to do because his gaze on her is microscopic and she's scared he'll figure her out before the night-or morning- is up.</p><p>"You never drink like this; would you tell me what's going on?"</p><p>Tears stream down her cheeks again, even though she's cried in front of him before, this time it feels like she's bearing her soul.</p><p>She shakes her head, "I can't tell you," her stomach hurts, her head hurts and her heart hurts. Everything hurts.</p><p>"Riley you can tell me anything,"</p><p>She shakes her head. "Not this time, it will change everything."</p><p>She knows she's not making any sense to him so he gets up to leave.</p><p>"Please don't go, I'm asking you to trust me…"</p><p>He looks back at her and she can see his resolve fading, little by little. He gives in with a sigh and sits next to her on the bed.</p><p>"I'm trusting that you'll tell me when you're ready," he says. Relief makes her close her eyes and it's the last thing she remembers before passing out.</p><p>When she opens her eyes a few hours later, morning sun is peeking through the curtains and Mac is rubbing at his neck in pain. Sleeping upright for a few hours would do that.</p><p>The headache splitting in her skull reminds her exactly what happened last night and she's even more ashamed.</p><p>"Oh my gosh, Mac-I'm so-last night was just-"</p><p>"Riles, it's okay, I'm just glad you're feeling better."</p><p>She sits up in bed holding her head, shoulder to shoulder with Mac. Was she better though? She's confused why he hasn't gotten up and retired to his room yet. She hopes he doesn't plan on grilling her for more information.</p><p>"You know, last night I was pushing you to open up-"</p><p>"No it's okay, you were jus-"</p><p>"Let me finish, I was pushing you to open up when I haven't opened up myself." he says.</p><p>His words make her more alert and she starts thinking about her own mess making her blind to his feelings, "are you okay?"</p><p>He shakes his head, "If I'm being honest. I'm really not. You know Desi and I were supposed to talk after the Codex fall out but we never really did, we just…"</p><p>"You just had sex and moved on?" She remembers, she had fled the house for Bozer's when she heard them.</p><p>He nodded, "I guess, yeah,"</p><p>She's feels bile creeping up her throat as she realizes he's confiding in her about Desi. She's not sure she can make it through the whole conversation without vomiting, much less be the sensitive friend he needs. It's a long moment before she says, "you guys should talk, if it's weighing on you."</p><p>He thinks about her words before he says, "I guess I'm afraid that if we do talk, we won't be able to come back from it. Not this time."</p><p>"I'm sorry," she says. She is and she isn't. She's sorry Mac''s hurting.</p><p>He shakes his head. "It's my choice. It's all my choice. I can choose to walk away whenever I want. It just feels like this job has taken so much from me. My family, my relationships…I have to save the day, save everyone but-"</p><p>"But who's saving you?"</p><p>He shrugs. "I hate complaining Riles, but lately…it all feels like a whirlwind, feel like I'm gonna be sucked up, I just want…need something solid I can hold on to."</p><p>Riley's breath hitches in her throat as he reaches for her hand. He's barely holding on to her hand, his fingers are just draped over her palm. But it's effective enough. She hates herself for being so selfish, so wrapped up in her own feelings that she's been ignoring Mac's. After everything he's done for her, everything he's been to her. She knows that in that moment, he could ask her to jump and she would ask him off of what.</p><p>She links their fingers together and his eyes dart to their knitted hands. "Hold on to me then," she says. She knows what she's saying. What she's giving up. If she was gonna be his friend, she couldn't be anything else to him.</p><p>Read &amp; Review.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Flip of a Switch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Four-Flip of a Switch</p><p>The next three days are better, Riley begins to accept the new normal. The days blur together and it's just her and Mac trying to be there for one another the best they can. Desi isn't around much either, she's been playing it close to the chest with Matty and no one tries to pry the truth out of her lest they be on the receiving end of Matty's wrath.</p><p>Days like this, she lives for. Between missions, an off day. She intends to spend the day in bed, watching movies and eating junk food. Mac knocks on her door and enters her room in gym shorts and a loose tank top.</p><p>"Let's go for a hike," he says.</p><p>She turns over in bed, trying to hide her face from him. Instead of going away he jumps on the bed and tickles her into submission. Her entire body flushes under the weight of him. He invades her sense and can feel him all over as if he is on top, at the side and under her all at once.</p><p>"Ok..okay," She emerges from under her comforter and he gets off her bed wearing a triumphant smile.</p><p>She pleads her case, while she loves spending time with him, a hike isn't her thing. "It's our day off dude, how often does that happen?"</p><p>He takes her hand and playfully pulls at it, "exactly, we can do something fun,"</p><p>"Watching tv in bed is fun,"</p><p>"I'll make you a deal, you come hike with me and tonight we watch movies and eat all the junk you want. Deal?"</p><p>She has to think on it for a moment. She could picture them cuddling on the couch watching movies and while she knows that's not how the night will play out she's excited with the very possibility. On the flipside, she feels as though spending an entire day with him will set her 'be his friend' goal back by decades.</p><p>He drops her hand and looks like he's going to concede when he stretches and his tank top raises enough that his midriff is exposed and she's done for.</p><p>"Umm, you know what, a hike might be nice," She bites her bottom lip because she knows what she's getting herself into it. A day of torture.</p><p>He grins, straight up to his eyes, "get dressed, we leave in ten." He leaves her room with a smile, he looks so happy. And she did promise to be there for him. Of course, she could blame her sudden interest in hiking on being a good friend but she knows she's equally going to see Mac's sweaty biceps.</p><p>Half an hour later, she's in black shorts and a yellow t-shirt with a knapsack, going up an incline on the hiking trail. Mac is a few steps ahead, barely breaking a sweat, and she's lagging behind, go figure. She has the best view though, especially when he turns around with a smile to see how far behind she is.</p><p>"I thought I lost ya," he teases and she flips him the bird. He clutches his chest in fake pain.</p><p>Not even Mac's biceps could ail her burning lungs and her legs. She stops in her tracks and hunches over. Trying to fill her lungs, she hears, "You can do it, we're almost at the top."</p><p>Straightening, she gives him her best puppy dog look. If she were lucky, he would tell her they made it far enough and they could go home.</p><p>"Have some mercy will ya," she pleads. His face softens and he strolls down to where she stopped. He turns his back to her and stoops so she can get on.</p><p>"Hop on,"</p><p>She hesitant because she already wants to jump his bones and that's before she climbs unto him. With a deep breath and short prayer to which god that's listening, she jumps onto his back and he hoists her up. They finish the hike that way, her arms around his neck, his hands around her thighs and her cheek press to his neck. Best hike she's ever been on.</p><p>He's right, they're close to the top. With Mac doing all the heavy lifting, they make it up in five minutes. When they get to the view, he sets her down and she misses his back immediately.</p><p>They overlook L.A and it's breathtaking but she's not sure what's stealing her breath, the view or Mac.</p><p>He looks over at her, "Glad you came huh, it's a beautiful view, right?"</p><p>She looks at him she nods, "definitely,"</p><p>She digs in her bag for a flannel shirt and spreads it on the ground for them to sit. Mac sits comfortably but before Riley can sit a pretty blonde asks her to take a photo of her and her dog.</p><p>Mac chuckles as Riley reluctantly agrees. She can hear her phone ringing as the woman takes her first pose with her bull terrier.</p><p>"Could you get that," she says, snapping another five pictures.</p><p>"Riley's phone," She hears him say and she thinks it has a nice ring to it.</p><p>She can't hear anything after that all she knows is that mood his changes completely, flips in a moment. Without even another word he gets up and heads back down to the hiking trail. Her heart drops when she's his face. He looks devasted. She gives the woman back her phone and doesn't wait for her protest.</p><p>She scrambles after him, confuse and anxious.</p><p>When she catches up to him, she grips his shoulder, "Mac, what the hell?"</p><p>His face is set in a stern line, trying to mask emotions that are bleeding out anyway.</p><p>"Your realtor called, about the viewing. For the apartment."</p><p>Her mouth goes dry and she misses her chance to deny it before he turns around and continues the decent. She has to catch up to him again.</p><p>Riley's heart beats uncontrollably, she can't bear for him to look at her like that ever again. She presses on, ignoring her burning lungs as she catches up to him. She touches his shoulder and flips him around to talk to her.</p><p>"Could you let me explain, please,"</p><p>"Everyone is leaving me," he says before she has a chance to speak, "I have no family left, Matty is sending Desi on some secret assignment and now you're leaving me too,"</p><p>Before she can celebrate a Desi free environment, she grabs the sides of his face to force him to look at her.</p><p>"The truth is I was looking for a place but that was before we had that talk the other day. I meant to cancel the viewing I just never got around to do it. That's the truth." Though he looked convinced, she didn't move her hands from his face, and he didn't seem like he wanted her to.</p><p>"You're not leaving me?" he says in a quiet voice.</p><p>She shakes her head, "I'm not leaving you," They are really turning into the co-dependent pair Riley thought.</p><p>He shocks her, drops his head to hers and presses their foreheads together. In that moment she feels like she'll never know a more intimate moment.</p><p>Sitting on her bed after a warm shower, Riley didn't know if she and Mac were okay. She touches her forehead where his skin had just been and smiles. She's no expert but it felt a lot like love. The realization causes a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She worries about him, about what it means for them.</p><p>He didn't seem to be in a talking mood on the way back down the hike. Once they got home, they dispersed to their rooms for needed showers. She doesn't hear from him until well into the night. She hears him shuffling around outside and she wants to stay in her room and hide. When she walks out her room, for the first time, she's going to be in a room with the man she loves.</p><p>There's a knock on her door before he sticks his head in through the crack. She's taken aback by the sight of him, beautiful.</p><p>"Hey?" there's a smile on his stupid, handsome face.</p><p>"Hey," she breaks eye contact first and looks down at her feet in her bedroom slippers.</p><p>"Come with me," he nods his head to the living room. She eyes him suspiciously, with Mac, you never really know what he's up to.</p><p>When she gets to the living room, all the lights are turned off and Mac has converted a blank wall to a theatre screen with a projector. The coffee table is also littered with popcorn and snacks, Mad did nothing halfway.</p><p>"This is how I do movie night," he says and she can't keep an excited squeal in.</p><p>"Mac, this is amazing,"</p><p>He looks pleased, "you like it?"</p><p>"Are you kidding? This is so dope," she pushes at his shoulder playfully. They drop themselves on the couch, Riley reaching for the caramel popcorn and Mac for the buttered.</p><p>"Pizza on it's way," he says.</p><p>"I love it when you talk that way to me," she says. He laughs at her response and hits her with that smile that turns her insides to goo. It's perfect but she almost dies right there on the couch when he puts his arm around the back of the couch and nestles her into his chest. She breathes him in with one thought, this is not how you watch a movie with your friend.</p><p>Read &amp; Review</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tension</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Five- Tension, of the sexual nature</p><p>"L.A can expect temperatures in the mid-eighties as the heatwave continues," Riley groans and turns down the volume of the news with the remote. The forecast doesn't tell her what she wants to hear as her skin is slick with sweat. Tendrils of her hair sticks to her neck and her back as the heat continues to stifle her. She's in a tank top knotted at her navel and cotton shorts, leaned over the kitchen counter while Mac's behind her making breakfast. To make things worse, Mac is walking around the kitchen shirtless, suffocating her more than the actual heatwave.</p><p>His body is so perfect he looks manufactured to Riley.</p><p>He chuckles when she grumbles, "heat getting to you Riles?" She leans off the counter to look back at him, he's at the stove scrambling eggs and breakfast sausages.</p><p>"Do you have to use the stove right now?" He looks taken aback, "you're the one who said you had a craving for breakfast sausage."</p><p>She covers her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh, "I did, didn't I? I didn't think you would actually make it."</p><p>He shifts a smile from his face and returns his attention to the food on the skillet. She's giddy and bubbly on the inside. Since movie night it's been all about surprise gifts and impromptu movie nights. He's also making it a habit of touching her for no reason. Basically, a relationship without the sex. And speaking of sex, Mac. That is all. The two have become synonymous in Riley's head lately. She sees Mac and she thinks of sex, she thinks of sex and she pictures Mac.</p><p>She's not entirely sure if he's developing feelings for her, its all speculation on her end but she does catch him staring at her thighs and stomach since the heatwave begun and clothing became minimal. It makes her feel, at the very least, like he sees her as a woman. She tries to keep from blushing as she thinks about the coy way he looks away when he's been caught. She doesn't have the heart to tease him about it at risk of deterring him from staring.</p><p>To distract herself from the heat between her thighs she says, "why are you in such a good mood? Is one of your skills impervious to heat?"</p><p>"You do remember I was in the army right, Afghanistan is not exactly known for the cool weather."</p><p>Riley groans, fanning herself with a menu she found on the counter, "point made."</p><p>She hoists herself up onto the counter, in front the window, desperate for any type of air circulation.</p><p>"What happened to your AC again?" she presses.</p><p>"I dismantled it, needed some spear parts for a project,"</p><p>She slapped her forehead, "Maaac,"</p><p>He turns his back to her to hide his shame but her anger only last a moment with the view she has.</p><p>She has a great of view of Mac. His broad back makes her mouth falls open just a little. She has to catch herself in case he turns around and catches her practically sliding off the counter.</p><p>Truthfully, she's never been attracted to a white man before but the moment she met Mac she noticed that he was objectively handsome. The thing about Mac, what makes him attractive is beneath his skin, past his smile and beyond his abs. What makes him truly attractive to her is the way he cares about people. The way he risks his life for strangers every day and ask for nothing in return and of course, his intelligence. Mac is unlike any other guy she's ever fallen for but maybe different will suit her well.</p><p>Of course, thinking about all the ways he's sexy to her is putting a wedge in her plans to remain his friend, but it is so hard to do when a shirtless Mac is making her breakfast. It couldn't get much better and the lack of Desi is the icing on top. She returns his gaze to him, notices a freckle or two on his back and she smiles to herself as she imagines tracing her fingers over them.</p><p>Lately, her attraction has been harder to ignore-and that's before the heatwave forcing them to walk around the house in glorified underwear. The upright way he walks, he's confident, so sure of himself. It's difficult, almost impossible, not to admire him.</p><p>The way he focuses in the field he doesn't realize but he does it with everything he does, like cooking eggs and sausages. She wonders if he'll be that focused, I bed?</p><p>The thought startles her back to reality and has her clamping her thighs together on the counter. The heat is really getting to her.</p><p>She watches him slide the eggs onto a green plate and turn off the stove.</p><p>"bon appetite,"</p><p>He hands her the plate; his fingers linger on her own and she has to bite her bottom lip to keep her mouth from falling open again. Her skin sizzles when he touches her and she longs for the heat long after he moves his hand and fixes his own plate.</p><p>Riley pours them both some orange juice from the fridge and adds ice cubes for good measure. They make light conversation over breakfast, Riley is careful not to mention Desi or her assignment when the topic of work comes up. Desi has been gone two weeks now, all she knows about the mission is that she's not supposed to know about it. Mac is also in the dark but he seems at peace with it. He has a lot to sort out about Desi and maybe the distance will give him the clarity he needs.</p><p>It's also given Riley the clarity she needs. She's never had an opinion about the relationship before her own feelings for Mac developed. She likes that Mac is no longer alone but she never thought they would last as long as they did. She thought they were just going to get all that sexual tension out of their systems and go back to being friends/colleagues. But they stuck it out, they fought the whole way through, but they stuck it out.</p><p>If someone asks Riley to weigh in on the relationship, she would say this. Mac goes to war everyday at work, at the very least, when he's off the clock, he should be surrounded by someone who gives him somewhere safe to lay his lead, away from the noise.</p><p>Deep down, she thinks Mac knows that Desi isn't that for him.</p><p>His fork scraping against his plate makes her look up from her own plate. He's already finished his food and dressing back in his chair.</p><p>"You finished already?"</p><p>He laughs, "Riles, you've been staring off into space for the last five minutes."</p><p>She flushes, "have I really?"</p><p>"Maybe like a minute, penny for your thoughts?"</p><p>She sips her juice before saying, "I was thinking about why you don't have an AC?"</p><p>He groans, "you're never going to let this up, are you? It never occurred to me replace it, I'm barely ever home anyway. We spend almost all our time at the Phoenix."</p><p>"You have a point there," she puts her plate in the sink and does the same to his. "How do we not get consumed by work? I don't want the Phoenix to be my whole life."</p><p>He stands up out of his chair and crosses the room to the sink where she's doing dishes. He's so close she can feel the heat from his body and her body reacts to the nearness immediately.</p><p>"We pull each other out when we get too absorbed. Deal?" He holds his pinky out for her. She loops hers around his, hoping the goosebumps aren't visible to him, "deal," They gaze at each other for a while, with their pinkies entwine and Riley is again stunned that the littlest of interaction makes such a big impact on her. She's certain she's drowned in his blue eyes and has been resuscitated when he clears his throat and drops her pinky.</p><p>"Now about your next problem, meet me on the deck in five minutes." He looks amused as he leaves her for outside.</p><p>She's intrigued and washes the dishes in silence. They have settled in a routine the past few days, alternating with cooking and clean up. With him, it's easy. Living with Aubrey had taken some getting used to, with Mac, it was automatic.</p><p>Once the kitchen is clean, she makes her way to the deck to see what Mac has up his sleeve. She hops he's building an AC out of Styrofoam and string or something equally ridiculous.</p><p>She freezes when she spots him on the deck, water gun in hand.</p><p>She laughs, "are you serious?"</p><p>He points to the water gun at the base of her feet and says, "so serious,"</p><p>They move to opposite ends of the deck, and chaos ensues. He's the first to shoot and she can't believe the excited yelp that exits her mouth. They chase each other around the deck, soaking each other through the thin fabrics they wore. Riley's tank is now clinging to her like a second skin and Mac's surfer shorts are slapping against his wet thighs.</p><p>She's the first to run out of ammo and when he realizes she's out of water he charges across the deck, grabs her from around the waist and lifts her off the ground.</p><p>She's elated, blissfully happy even. She yells for mercy and she means the opposite when she tells him to put her down. Lucky for her, he extends his 'torture' for longer, spinning her around with her back pressed to his chest. Moments like this, she lives for.</p><p>When she wiggles out of his grasp, she tries to make a leap for his own abandoned water gun but he's ahead of her.</p><p>"You're going down Davis," he tackles her to the ground and she struggles all the way down. When they tumble to the ground he flips them so his back takes most of the impact. She tumbles down right onto him, their bodies lined up like compatible puzzle pieces. The laughter subsides the moment she realizes where she is, flush against his taut body. She doesn't know if to get up and sprint away or stay and memorize the contours of his body. She's afraid to look up at him, once she does, they're pulled into another trance like gaze. His eyes fall to her lips and she subconsciously wets them under his meticulous scrutiny. She decides then she's going to go with the flow and let whatever happens, happen but a wrapping on the door shatters their moment.</p><p>"Yo Mac, Riley?" they hear Bozer's voice call out.</p><p>Riley is quick to get off of him just as Bozer emerges.</p><p>"Hey man," Mac says in his best imitation of a casual tone, "what are you doing here?"</p><p>Bozer looks at them like they're crazy. He shuffles down to the back yard and points at the pool.</p><p>"That's what I'm doing here," he cannon ball dives into the pool without stripping. Riley laughs at Bozer's antics and catches Mac's eye from across the pool. He's staring at her in that intense, diffuse a bomb way. She's more confused than ever, but also happier than she's been in a while. Whatever comes next, she knows will be complicated.</p><p>Read &amp; Review</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Memory Lane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Six- Memory Lane</p><p>Riley and Mac are one hour into Fellowship of the Rings when the power goes out. He had to beg her to watch the movie and while she was hesitant, once she got into it, she had really started enjoying it.</p><p>"Nooo," she whines.</p><p>She's in her robe nestled on the couch with Mac. Her hair is piled onto her head in a towel and Mac's in flannel pajama bottoms with a towel around his neck. They've become so comfortable with each other in the last few days. Riley finds it hard to believe this is the new normal.</p><p>"This heatwave is the gift that keeps on giving," he says.</p><p>Riley shifts next to him and agree silently. Once she gets over the Lord of the Rings sized sized tantrum she relaxes in the dark. When she was younger it was one of her favorite memories. Jack had built a fire in the backyard and told her ghost stories for half the night. She's smiling to herself at the memory when feels him take her hand.</p><p>The warmth makes her smile under the disguise of the darkness.</p><p>"Just making you're still here with me," he says.</p><p>She nods, forgetting he can't see her then says, "you have a generator, right?" It's a given really but she wishes they can stay in the dark just so he would keep a hold of her hand.</p><p>"I have what's left of a generator, it fell victim to that project I've been working on, I can whip one up if you give me a minute or twenty and some light,"</p><p>Riley laughs who else but Mac talks about making a generator like it's a stack of pancakes. "I have another idea," she says.</p><p>She uses her phone's flashlight to guide them, still joined at the hands, to the deck. Once there she lights the fireplace and they sit. She sits next to him although there is plenty of space. Her bath robe slits at her thigh as she crosses her legs. Mac pretends not to notice when she looks up at him. With the fire dancing and dipping his face goes in and out of darkness.</p><p>"Your plan is to sit in the dark?" she hears his skepticism but in the glow of the fireplace she can see a soft smile on his face.</p><p>She nudges his shoulder and scowls.</p><p>"Didn't you do this as a kid? Tells scary stories when the power goes out?"</p><p>He's silent and she realizes her mistake. She forgets his childhood was less than ideal, in fact, both their childhoods were. She just never realized that they have that in common until now.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I forgot,"</p><p>He shakes his head. "I may not have those memories, but maybe I can make some...with you."</p><p>She smiles tenderly, glowing from the fire and from him, "you know when I was a kid, I thought I had really good stories but now-with everything we do. Our missions with Phoenix are way scarier. I still get flashbacks of falling out of the sky on that balloon contraption with you and Jack."</p><p>He laughs, "yeah I could see that. That was not fun."</p><p>"Right, with your fear of heights," she tries to keep the chuckle from escaping unsuccessfully.</p><p>"Why is that funny? You laughing at my pain Davis?"</p><p>She shakes her head in quick denial, "it's not that, you're MacGyver it's just hard to think of you afraid of something."</p><p>"Everybody is afraid of something,"</p><p>"I know that logically but-sometimes I see you as a sorta superhero with all the things you do."</p><p>He tries to hide his blush in the shadows of the dancing fire but she catches it anyway. He opens his mouth to protest but she cuts him off, "the fact that you don't think you are proves my point all the more."</p><p>They sit in silence for a few moments. They are sitting so close she knows if she blows, it will tickle his ear. It's a comfortable silence, comfortable seems to be their word lately. With Desi away, they've been spending more time together and developed a familiarity you can only know from living under the same roof.</p><p>He breaks her train of thought when he turns to her and says, "what is that you're wearing, that smells like oranges?" he says.</p><p>Riley tilts her own head down to sniff herself when she realizes it's her citrus body wash. She doesn't know why it makes her blush that he can smell it.</p><p>"I think that's my body wash,"</p><p>He looks away when he nods and says, "It's good, I like it, I mean."</p><p>She's beaming on the inside. She loves that the power went out. She likes just sitting and talking with him. Though she's known him for a few years there's still so much about him she doesn't know and would like to know. The darkness makes everything between them feel more intimate, everything they say has more weight to it in the dark for some reason.</p><p>He clears his throat, "so if not ghost stories then what else can we talk about?"</p><p>Riley can't help herself, he's basically saying she can ask him anything. It's not every day she has that opportunity.</p><p>Boldly, she says, "tell me about your first love?"</p><p>He laughs, "what?"</p><p>"I'm serious, I wanna know about the first girl Angus MacGyver loved," And how she measures up to her but she keeps the last part to herself.</p><p>He relents and says, "Penny Parker,"</p><p>"Wait didn't I meet her a few years ago?"</p><p>He nods, "at my intervention, yup."</p><p>Her head falls back as she laughs, "those were the days huh?"</p><p>"His heart was in the right place," he says, referring to pre-Phoenix exposure Bozer.</p><p>"So, did Penny feel the same way?"</p><p>"she was actually my first kiss but I always knew I liked her more than she liked me." His cheeks looks rosy red as he looks down at the fire, avoiding her gaze. She's always stunned in these moments. He comes off as so coy and innocent, he genuinely has no idea girls will fall at their feet for him.</p><p>"So what was it about Penny that you liked so much?"</p><p>He thinks for a moment before sagging his shoulders and saying, "honestly, she was one of the only girls who was nice to me, that's all. She was just nice."</p><p>"High standards you got there," She knows that wasn't the right thing to say. She doesn't even know why she says it, she's torn up at the thought of him a lonely kid.</p><p>When he doesn't respond she says, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be the one to talk. You've seen my relationships crash and burn up close. Guess I was too damaged, too secretive, too something,"</p><p>He takes her hand and gives it a squeeze, "I don't believe any of your breakups were your fault, and you can't either. In fact, if we ever cross paths with Billy again he's going to wish he never even met you."</p><p>She sighs deeply and leans back, Mac still has a hold on her hand.</p><p>"All I know is, whenever I feel like my heart is finally safe with someone the rug gets pulled out from under me. Is that a reflection of me, or the guys I attract?"</p><p>He releases her hand only to tuck stubborn strands of hair behind her ear, blue eyes boring into her brown ones, he says, "Any guy will be lucky to have you Riley," Except you, she thinks solemnly. The thought stings her and she pushes it down to get through the otherwise, enjoyable night.</p><p>She smiles sadly. "Anyway, what did you like about Niki?" Riley says, trying to keep the vocal fry in her voice to a minimum.</p><p>"I actually don't count Niki as an ex girlfriend anymore, she lied to me the entire time we were together and I can't sort through what was real and what was fake…despite what she says."</p><p>Riley knows he holds trust in high esteem then why is he with Desi when she's proven she doesn't trust him? Not as a colleague and definitely not as a partner. If he can quit Phoenix over trust issues then why can't he quit Desi?</p><p>He says,"I'm damned anyway I go. When I get involved with someone from work it gets complicated. When I date civilians..." His anguish radiates off of him and she feels as though she has absorbed some of it.</p><p>"Have you spoken to Nasha since?"</p><p>He shakes his head.</p><p>"I knew she would never understand what I do completely, plus I put in her enough danger as is."</p><p>"Guess you don't have to worry about that with Desi," she baits.</p><p>He looks at her directly now, "what do you think of me and Desi?"</p><p>She's trying to find a nice way to say dump her like yesterday's trash but instead she shakes her head and shrugs. He gives her a 'get real' look and waits for a real answer.</p><p>"You guys just fight a lot. About everything."</p><p>He grunts but nods his head. "It's true, sometimes it gets so volatile…I think we mistook that volatility for passion you know?"</p><p>Riley nods, makes sense.</p><p>"But you love her?" She waits the answer on edge.</p><p>He shrugs, "that's what I told her,"</p><p>Riley's brows knit together so he clarifies, saying, "I don't know if I said it because that's how I feel or because I felt that's what she wanted-needed to hear it."</p><p>She waits a moment and he continues, "while I'm confused about my feelings for Desi, her feelings for me are very real and I'm responsible for that."</p><p>She touches his knee, "Mac you take orders everyday of your life at work. Your personal life is the one time you get to have complete autonomy. You shouldn't be a slave to anyone out of duty."</p><p>"Thanks Riles," he says but she can tell he's not convinced, not even a little. However, the conversation took a more serious tone than she intended. She's not in the mood to press him and he doesn't seem to be in the mood to be pressed. In an attempt to lighten the mood she says, "what would you do if the world was safe, if you didn't have to go into work tomorrow or the day after?"</p><p>She jostles his shoulder, "definitely not work at the Genius Bar,"</p><p>She nudges him playfully, "shut up, I'm serious."</p><p>"I don't know what I'd do to be honest." He thinks for a moment, "do you think we would still be friends without Phoenix. I mean, when we didn't do so well the first time around."</p><p>"That won't even happen again. It's kind of hard to lose touch with your roommate don't you think,"</p><p>"I love having you here Riles,"</p><p>"I love being here-with you,"</p><p>He grins, "I'd go to a carnival with my friends by the way."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"The answer to your question. I would go to a carnival with my friends."</p><p>"What about you? What would you do?"</p><p>"I would tell-" she catches herself, "I'd live without regrets."</p><p>He gives her a strange look and she looks away grinning.</p><p>"Do I wanna know what that means?"</p><p>"I don't know," she tells him honestly but she can tell her subtlety is not as subtle as she thinks it is. Not anymore at least, and maybe she doesn't want to be subtle anymore. It's high time Mac get's a clue.</p><p>"Can I ask you something now?" he says and she's terrified of what might come next. Settling her nerves, she nods yes. He smiles softly but doesn't ask her anything, at least not right away. Like he's working up the nerve to speak, he gets up from the fire place and starts pacing the deck. At least that's what it sounds like to Riley, now that he's cloaked in darkness, she doesn't have a lock on his exact location.</p><p>Finally, he says, "Did you-or do you love Aubrey? You haven't talked about him since. You even mourned Billy more than Aubrey so I was just wondering..."</p><p>She's can't believe he noticed. Truly, she's rarely thought about him since they broke up and she wants to tell Mac that without coming off as pathetic.</p><p>"At the time I thought I loved but now I know that was barely a spark," in comparison to how she feels for Mac, "maybe I loved feeling wanted more than I actually loved him." She knows the only reason she had fallen for Aubrey was due to the fact that she was running from Mac and feelings she didn't know what to do with.</p><p>Honestly, nothing has changed, except this time Mac isn't allowing her to run away.</p><p>"Why'd you ask?" she says. He's quiet for a long time and she whips around to squint her eyes into the darkness. With her back turned, he puts out the fire and she jumps.</p><p>"You have to find me to get the answer," she hears his playful tone and knows he messing around but she takes the bait anyway.</p><p>She starts moving around the deck in search for the elusive spy. Her hands are flailing in front of her to guide her way but she really has no clue where to he is. It's like he's not even breathing, the only sign of life she hears is her own. Her hands touch the railing and she holds on and uses it to guide her along the length of the deck. When she assumes she's midway she senses his presence and is almost certain he's in front of her but she hears a crackle behind her, somewhere on the deck. She flips around to where the sound came from and but sense nothing.</p><p>Her heart is pounding as if she is in the filed on an important mission. She figures in someway, this too is an important mission.</p><p>She knows he's close. She can feel her body responding as much. She turns back around and feels like a current is running through her body and that's all the confirmation she needs. She reaches out with a tentative hand and her fingers finds the space between his neck and shoulder. He's so close to her she has the urge to step back and put distance between them but some kind of magnetism pulls her to him. The power returns with a pop from the fridge and the hum of appliances running once again. He's staring at her intensely, his face is relaxed and he's wearing a smirk when he says, "you found me,"</p><p>She plays along, "I did,"</p><p>Read &amp; Review</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. For Miles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Seven- For Miles</p><p>Bozer is showing Riley the problem with his computer when she realizes he doesn't even know what's wrong with it to begin with. She chuckles as he begins to doubt to his own sanity trying to show her a problem that doesn't seem to exist when he turns on the machine.</p><p>"I think your problem is in your head Bozer,"</p><p>He's quick in his protest, "I swear it's been sticking every two seconds,"</p><p>"Well it's not sticking now," she says. She pats his shoulder and heads to the couch to gather her bag and phone to leave.</p><p>"Hold it there missy," he says before she can reach the door.</p><p>She turns around with a sly grin. "Yes?"</p><p>He closes some space between them to inspect her better. "You haven't been here in a while, did you find an apartment?"</p><p>She twists her lips and looks away. "Not really."</p><p>"Why not?" he presses.</p><p>She bites her bottom lip, "because I stopped looking," she tries.</p><p>"Riley,"</p><p>"Don't give me that sorry tone. I know what I'm doing okay. You had to be there Bozer, the way he looks at me sometimes… the other night I was sure he was going to tell me he had feelings for me but Matty called us into work after the blackout."</p><p>His voice raises a little and though Riley knows it's only because he's trying to look out for her, but she flinches anyway.</p><p>"Riley, I've been there, you convince yourself that maybe they feel the same way but it's all in your head."</p><p>"It's not the same Bozer," Her own voice has raised now and she can feel the situation escalating but has no power to stop it, "you've been great through all of this just, don't tell me what to do with my life," she storms out his apartment before more was said that could not be unsaid.</p><p>When she gets home, Mac is coming out of his room with a towel around his neck and wet hair. She thinks he looks boyish but keeps it to herself and instead, drops herself heavily onto the couch with a deep sigh.</p><p>"What's up? Did you fix his computer?" he says, sitting on the arm of the couch.</p><p>She's shrugs, trying not to pout, unsuccessfully. He notes her expression and frowns, "what's wrong?"</p><p>Before she can shake her head he interrupts her with a raise of his hand.</p><p>"I know you better than that," he says with a pointed look that makes her give up the pretense.</p><p>"Bozer and I just got into a fight,"</p><p>He turns to face her with concern all of over his face.</p><p>"What'd you guys fight about?"</p><p>You, she thinks but says, "nothing, it's stupid, his computer."</p><p>"Don't you think we know each other too well to be lying to each other?" He tucks a strand of stubborn, dark hair behind her ear and lets his hand linger behind her ear for a few moments before dropping it.</p><p>Riley's skin prickles with goosebumps and this time she knows he can see it. She clears her throat as the atmosphere in the room becomes charged with electricity. Lately, all roads lead to Mac. He's at work with her, at home with her and now he's leaking into her other friendships. All for what? A man who's involved with someone else.</p><p>Sometimes it feels like he isn't worth it but this is not one of those times. He's staring at her with earnest eyes, and touching her like she's delicate and priceless. She feels in her bone marrow that somewhere along the lines, he began to feel the same about her. She also knows there's only one way to find out for sure. She could tell him how she feels…</p><p>"He's just looking out for me and I'm being reckless I suppose,"</p><p>"Hmm, well when I'm in the field and I do something reckless I always ask myself, is the risk worth the pay off?"</p><p>She doesn't have to think about it.</p><p>She looks him in the dead in the eye when she says, "If it does pay off, it will definitely be worth it,"</p><p>"And if not?" he says, holding the intense eye contact.</p><p>Without looking away she says, "I don't know if I'll ever be able to recover."</p><p>Mac opens his mouth to respond but their phones go off simultaneously which means it's work. Riley is glad for the distraction, she still has to work up the nerve to tell him, but she's definitely going to tell him. It's been decided.</p><p>It's a Tuesday and she's feeling good. She can't keep a smile off her face. While she and Bozer haven't made nice yet, she and Mac feel closer than ever. She hasn't found the time tell him how she feels as of late. It's either work or a bad time but she has a plan. As she lets herself into the house, she's beaming-practically bouncing with excitement. She's fanning herself with the tickets she's just gotten for a Carnival. She can't way to see Mac's face when she shows him. She knows it's cheesy but she feels like the atmosphere of the carnival will make the words easier to roll off her tongue. She also now knows that's one of Mac's favorite places to be. It can't hurt her cause.</p><p>Maybe she'll take him on the Ferris wheel and spill her guts. That way, he can't runaway from her. No matter his answer.</p><p>When she bends the corner for the kitchen, she notices the lights are dimmed and slow music is playing. She even smells garlic bread and Italian spices. For a split second, before she breaks the corner, she thinks maybe this is all for her. It's all very romantic and she smiles to herself until she realizes she's dead wrong. Desi is back. Having dinner with Mac. There's a single candle lit between them on the table and she's gripping Mac's hand with her own like he belongs to her-because he does. And she's paralyzed. Then she's comatose. And then she dies inside.</p><p>The shock is dizzying but she has nothing to hold on to, to stop her from spiraling. They are so enthralled in the conversation, they only realize she's there when she turns her back and rushes out. She hears Mac call her name but it's sounds far away, distant, like in another life altogether. The farther she gets from them, from him, the tighter her chest becomes. She can barely breath by the time she's rushing out the front door. It feels like the sky is falling away, bit by bit and dropping on her head. The pain is a type of intoxication that disorients her, has her stumbling in the streets like a mad woman.</p><p>How did they get from almost kissing to him having a romantic dinner with Desi? When the fuck did she get back anyway? Her eyes sting with tears and her stomach ache like she's just been kicked in the gut, in a way she had.</p><p>Mascara stains her face as the tears began flowing. She feels the guttural sound forming in the pit of her stomach and clenches her abdomen in reflex. The first sob that escapes her mouth is devastating to the ear and she's sure can be heard for miles.</p><p>Read &amp; Review</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Last to Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p>
<p>Chapter Eight- The Last to Know</p>
<p>With her tail between her legs, Riley takes an uber to Bozer's apartment. The driver looks at her like she's crazy because she looks like it. Her face is a massacre of dried, caked tears and runny mascara. She doesn't have the energy to muster up any embarrassment. She feels like she's been cracked open and all her energy is draining out of her.</p>
<p>When Bozer opens his door, the tears are triggered all over again.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, you were right about everything," she wheezes it out before he can get a word in. His face goes from shock to sympathetic in a matter of seconds. He opens his arms for her and she's relieved he's not waiting with an 'I told you so' she already feels stupid enough. She lets it all go on his shoulder, a symphony of sobs and obscenities. She feels angry and sad but most of all, she feels stupid.</p>
<p>An hour later she and Bozer are curled up on his couch sharing a tub of ice cream with two spoons. Riley's legs are cocooned in a green throw blanket and Bozer is sitting on the other end of the couch with his legs on the coffee table.</p>
<p>"Wow, that's a lot," he says, once she catches him up on the romantic/not so romantic adventures of Mac and Riley.</p>
<p>She nods slowly, shoveling a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.</p>
<p>"You sure you don't need a drink?" he offers for the second time but flashbacks of her puking on Mac's shoe still haunts her dreams. She shakes her head no and taps on the tub of cream, "the calories will suffice,"</p>
<p>"Whatever takes the edge off," he says.</p>
<p>"I can't believe what I've become Bozer. You should have seen me crying in the streets like I was crazy," she can't help but laugh at herself, a bitter type of chuckle.</p>
<p>"You used to be the coolest person I know," he says, teasing her.</p>
<p>"Shut up," she pushes him with her socked feet. "I still am, I've had enough of it to be honest. And it ends now,"</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"I mean I'm done," she sighs, shoulders sagging.</p>
<p>Bozer squints at her, "done how?"</p>
<p>She shrugs in response.</p>
<p>"I'm no expert on matters of the heart by any stretch, but you can't decide to not have feelings for Mac anymore, I don't think that's how it works."</p>
<p>She pushes the ice cream away, "I mean I'm done feeling sorry for myself."</p>
<p>Bozer covers the pint of ice cream and turns to face Riley. "I'm listening,"</p>
<p>"You weren't crying in the streets over me, were you? You got over it, just like I will."</p>
<p>"No but there's a big difference…"</p>
<p>She sucks the spoon the clean and says, "which is?"</p>
<p>"I had a crush on you, infatuation even but you are in love,"</p>
<p>She freezes at his words only to recover too late to play it off like it wasn't true.</p>
<p>"I didn't say I was,"</p>
<p>He reaches for her hand, "you didn't have to."</p>
<p>"You know, I'll never understand how Leanna could leave you, you're a great guy Bozer," She squeezes his hand and he smiles sadly. She knows he hates talking about so she doesn't add anything else.</p>
<p>"Are you still gonna tell him?"</p>
<p>She shakes her head. "What's the point now? I already know how he feels."</p>
<p>He has some protest left in him but chooses not to press her, at least not tonight. He stands, with the ice cream in his hands, "should I get the pillow then?"</p>
<p>She shakes her head, outs the spoon down on the table and gets to her feet as well. "I'm gonna get some air. I'll see you later tonight."</p>
<p>Half an hour later, Riley winds up on the same hiking trail she and Mac had been on. The view is a lot different at night. There's something lonely about the city lights, or perhaps that's her just her projecting.</p>
<p>She doesn't know why she's here, for some reason her mind lead her here.</p>
<p>She intends to stay until the ache in her chest dulls but she doesn't know if that will ever happen. She's always known there's a chance he doesn't feel the same way but having it confirmed feels like it's destroying from her from the inside out.</p>
<p>It's peaceful in her surroundings, despite the chaos in her heart.</p>
<p>At least now, she doesn't have to wonder anymore.</p>
<p>Maybe an hour rolls by, she's not sure. She just knows she hears him calling her name and thinks she hallucinating.</p>
<p>"You're losing it Riley," she mumbles to herself. But she hears it again, accompanied with footsteps and she knows she's not that crazy. She whips her head around and her eyes fall on him.</p>
<p>"Mac?"</p>
<p>He's panting like he ran the whole path. She gets up immediately, dusting the sand off her pants, he smiles at her in a way that unsettles her. Why is he so chipper?</p>
<p>"How did you find me?" she says, remembering she's upset.</p>
<p>Catching his breath with one last gulp of air, he says, "I looked for you at Bozer's. When I couldn't find you there, I told Matty you lost your phone and you needed it traced."</p>
<p>She's amused now, despite the situation. "How'd that work out for you?"</p>
<p>"Not good, your phone is untraceable, should have known,"</p>
<p>She nods, folding her arms in a subconscious reflex to protect herself from him.</p>
<p>"But then, I bribed an analyst to track you on traffic cams from Bozer's apartment, discreetly. Once I got a general location, I took a lucky guess."</p>
<p>"Okay, that's the how, what about a why?"</p>
<p>He takes slow, calculated steps towards her. Slowly closing the space between them. She still doesn't like the look on his face, like he knows a secret she doesn't.</p>
<p>"I had to apology for two things," he says.</p>
<p>Tightening the grip on her torso, she takes a few steps back and says, "I'm listening,"</p>
<p>He takes a large step toward her again, "One, I'm sorry about what you saw back at the house. I know what it looked like but it wasn't what it looked like…"</p>
<p>"A romantic dinner with your girlfriend was actually something else?" She knows her tone is clipped and doesn't bat an eye at how annoyed she sounds. What does it matter now anyway?</p>
<p>"Desi got back today, she set up the whole dinner before I got home, I wasn't expecting to break up with her in that way-"</p>
<p>Riley's heart stops. His words crash against her and almost throw her off her feet. What? He broke up with her?</p>
<p>"You and Desi broke up?" she says in a quiet voice. In case she had hallucinated the whole thing, she needs to hear him say it.</p>
<p>He nods, "It's why I didn't-couldn't run after you, I had to finish talking to Desi."</p>
<p>Her head is spinning at this point. She feels like she just entered the exam room for an exam she didn't study for. Or maybe for a class she's never taken. He wanted to run after her? What?</p>
<p>In a breathy whisper, swaying slightly, she says, "y-you wanted to come after me?"</p>
<p>"So badly," he nods, trying to hide a smirk. Keyword being trying.</p>
<p>Even after the day she's had, she still slips into friend mode, almost unconsciously.</p>
<p>"Are you okay? With the break up and everything." she says. He doesn't look upset about it but then again, Mac isn't the president of the express your emotions club.</p>
<p>He shakes his head as if the very notion is ridiculous. He pointedly takes another step in her direction.</p>
<p>"I think I've know since we came back to the Phoenix that me and Desi were a sinking ship. Truthfully, right now, the break up is the last thing on my mind." His eyes are wide like saucers, full with unbridled emotion. Like he's inviting her to read him like a book. What she ends up reading, she can't quite believe it…</p>
<p>Her body is running hot and cold and her heart is trying to leap out of her chest to latch on to Mac's.</p>
<p>She clears her throat, "And what's the next thing you're sorry for?"</p>
<p>He takes another step, the tips of their shoes now touching, closing the remaining space between them.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry that I've been so stupid. I realized something when we were in Germany, in that collapsed building…and you've been proving it over and over ever since," he holds her gaze now, like he's daring her to blink, to break their moment, "I'm sorry," he raises his hand to cradle her head from her cheek to her neck and Riley suddenly forgets how to breathe, "that I was the last to know."</p>
<p>Her brown eyes cloud with confusion and she wants to ask him what he's the last to know but the thought leaves her as swiftly as it comes. He drops his forehead to hers and they breathe the same breath. He nuzzles her nose with his own and her body erupts in nerves and electricity. Her breathing hitches as months of anticipation all pour into this one moment.</p>
<p>He captures her lips in a searing kiss. Bold and brazen, she has no choice but to follow his lips and lean into the kiss. She's overwhelmed with the taste of him, the smell of him and feel of him. She can hardly record how good it feels with each of her senses. Coherent thoughts are a thing of the past as he deepens the kiss, delving into her open mouth with his tongue. His hand around her neck tightens in a possessive grip, she wraps her own hand around his wrist keeping his hand there. Her other hand grips the hem of his shirt so tight, her knuckles go white.</p>
<p>Only the stars in the night sky knows how long they stayed in that embrace.</p>
<p>When their lips finally separate, Mac slides his hand down from her neck. His fingers travel down her arms, to hold on to her hand, leaving goosebumps in his wake.</p>
<p>She presses her forehead to his smiling, "How does it take a genius that long to figure it out?"</p>
<p>She feels like laughing and crying but she cleaves onto him and he holds her firmly to reality.</p>
<p>He grins, boyish and coy, just how she likes him. "Better late than never count for anything?" He places a chaste kiss on her forehead and her eyes flutter close upon contact.</p>
<p>She steps back from him so her thoughts can begin making sense again. She's always wanted this, to hear him say those words, to kiss his lips. But it's never seemed possible so she's always ended her fantasies right here. But tonight, doesn't feel like an ending. It feels like a beginning, and now she's not sure what to do.</p>
<p>"Did I say something wrong?"</p>
<p>She shakes her head, "no, nothing." I just never thought this would happen. But what do we do now?"</p>
<p>He smiles, pulls her to his side and says, "now, we go home."</p>
<p>They get back to the house a little after ten p.m. Riley's thoughts are moving too fast for her to sort through her feelings-which she has an abundance of. Of course, she's excited, but she's also nervous. About what this could mean moving forward, how she's ever going to face Desi again? Will Matty figure them out with one look at them? Would she even allow it? Would she have to choose between work and Mac? And is Mac even sure about being with her?</p>
<p>One thing at a time. That's the only way she's going to make it out alive.</p>
<p>"I should text Bozer, tell him not to expect me back." she says.</p>
<p>He nods like it's a good idea but she looks down at their linked hands expecting him to give her hand back so she could make the text but he does nothing of the type.</p>
<p>Instead, he pulls her to him and kisses her again like it's going out of style. Of course, she agrees Bozer could wait five more minutes for a message. She wraps her arms around his neck and melts into body. His kisses are electric, it feels like he's shooting her with little bolts of electricity every time their lips touch.</p>
<p>He finally releases her lips and her hand a few moments later. She turns her back to him while she takes out her phone to construct the text.</p>
<p>He wraps his arms around her waist before she can finish constructing the text, kissing her neck like they've been doing it for ages. The high she gets from it is very confusing and disorienting. She can hardly form coherent thoughts.</p>
<p>"Maaac," she wiggles out of his grasp to try and get a break from her racing thoughts.</p>
<p>"I had no idea you were this affectionate," she says, strolling to the living room. He's close behind her with a full face blush.</p>
<p>"I don't think I've ever been, not before." He looks embarrassed, which wasn't her intention.</p>
<p>She sits on the couch and he follows suit. When he reaches for her hand she drops it.</p>
<p>Disappointment flashes across his face and it cuts something inside her. She can't believe she wants him to slow down when this is everything she's ever wanted. But how could she not? His relationship with Desi has been over for a few hours and she supposed to ignore that and delve into a relationship with him?</p>
<p>"Tell me what I'm doing wrong?" he says in a desperate tone.</p>
<p>She shakes her head with a smile trying to lighten his falling mood, "when you touch me, I can't really think straight." He smiles, blushing lightly. Without warning, he leans over her and hovers in front of her face, "how's your thinking now?"</p>
<p>Laughing, she swats him away. Her body is warm with happiness and she wishes they can stay in this oblivious bubble, without responsibilities and doubts but…</p>
<p>"I think now is a moment for me to be thinking straight."</p>
<p>He sobers with seriousness and sits up for them to talk.</p>
<p>"I've been with my feelings for so long, I've never thought about what would happen if you actually felt the same way,"</p>
<p>She can tell by the look on his face he's not sure how to feel. Not sure how this conversation is going to end.</p>
<p>"What are you getting at Riles?"</p>
<p>She rakes her hand over her face, releasing a deep sigh simultaneously, "you just got out of a relationship…like two hour ago. You don't think you should mourn that relationship for more than a few hours?"</p>
<p>"I see your point." He rubs at his eyebrow. "I did, but Desi and I have been over since before she left for that mission. Maybe even since Codex. Only now it's official."</p>
<p>She's not sure she buys it. She's lived with them since Codex and they've been the same tumultuous couple they've always been. Unless Mac was just going on along with it for Desi's sake. Was he? She can't know for sure.</p>
<p>"Maybe rushing into this is a bad idea," She takes a breath, she can't believe she's saying the words. "Maybe we're sabotaging ourselves by rushing into this? Maybe we should pause."</p>
<p>She knows they've barely stared. She knows she's been pining after him for months and now she's refusing to explore them. But she also knows what a break up feels like. After Billy, if she had been pushed into a relationship then it would have been a disaster. She really, really doesn't want her and Mac to crash and burn before they had a fighting chance.</p>
<p>He looks solemn, face completely sunken. His Adam's apple jutted out the way it always did when he was upset. "If that's what you want,"</p>
<p>"It's not what I want but I think it's the smartest thing to do," she says with a finality.</p>
<p>"In a couple months, maybe we'll see how you feel."</p>
<p>His eyebrows raise, "Months?"</p>
<p>"I don't know, that was a ball park range." She's flustered now, "I'm delirious. I'm gonna get some sleep." She gets up from the couch and rushes to her room. What the fuck is she doing?</p>
<p>She presses her head against the door and has to physically refrain from smashing her head into the door over and over. With her head against the door she can hear him get up from the couch and shuffle over to her door. She holds her breath, she's not sure if she wants him to knock or not.</p>
<p>He hovers in front her door for almost a minute. She can almost the feel wheels in his head turning. Has he come to change her mind? She's already having doubts herself. But as the minute rolls by, she hears him pad away.</p>
<p>She drags her feet to her bed, doubting every decision she's made tonight. Logically she knows it's right but it feels terrible, she feels defeated. She drops to her bed and exhaustion drags her down to a fitful sleep.</p>
<p>Mac plagues her dreams. She dreams about them in Germany.</p>
<p>'You think this job screwed us up so bad we can never have normal, healthy relationships?'</p>
<p>The absolute terror that the last conversation she'd ever have with Mac was about Aubrey.</p>
<p>The way he clung to her jacket, the way she clung to his shirt.</p>
<p>'Here's something I've never told anybody, when we're on a mission, and…I'm about to do something really stupid, I imagine it all going wrong and I see myself die. Every time. I can't help it. But, every time, I just regret that I'm alone.'</p>
<p>When Riley shoots awake with a chill in her chest. It's before three a.m according to her alarm clock. The first thing on her mind as she shakes off the fog of her dream is Mac. She gets up slowly and strips the clothes she wore all night. She then jumps into the shower with a heavy heart. A hot shower gives her some much needed clarity. She lets the hot water run all over her, soaking her hair and running down her face.</p>
<p>There's a lot of reasons she and Mac should walk before they run. But it dawns on Riley just how dangerous the work they do is. How fleeting life can be. And how lonely it makes Mac feel, despite being surrounded by people.</p>
<p>If there's even a chance she could lose him tomorrow, or the day after, she doesn't want to waste another day, another minute. When she gets out of the shower, she dries then lotions her skin. She then slips on an oversized t-shirt, for-going underwear and towel dries her hair until it's damp. She flings the damp towel unto her bed with reckless abandon. She then pads softly to Mac's room.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Coffee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Nine- Coffee (1)</p><p>She tries the door knob and finds that it's open.</p><p>She's not sure what the next step of the plan is. She's standing at the foot of his bed in an oversized t-shirt...just an oversized t-shirt and he's lightly snoring. Should she wake him up? He looks so peaceful and innocent she can't bear to.</p><p>She doesn't want to wake him and suddenly feels ridiculous. She decides to get into the bed next to him so they can talk first thing in the morning. He stirs awake when her weight sinks into the mattress and she hisses at herself. His blue eyes flutter open and brighten when he realizes who it is.</p><p>"Riles?" Did his sleepy voice have to sound so sexy? She pushes down the thought and pulls some of his white sheets over her body.</p><p>"Is it okay if I change my mind," she says, "about us,"</p><p>He sighs in relief then smiles. All drowsiness seemed to dissipate and all that's left on his face his happiness.</p><p>"Does this mean I can touch you now?"</p><p>She nods, head moving against the pillow. He shifts closer to her so that their noses are touching. Her eyes drop to his lips and anticipate every second as they move to hers. It feels exactly right when his lips move against hers. They reluctantly pull away and he says, "just so we're clear, you're not allowed to change your mind again," his arms snakes around her waist and holds her captive. "I won't let you get away."</p><p>Her heat swells twice it's size as she cuddles into his chest. He feels like home. Soon enough they're fast asleep.</p><p>She wakes up first. He's still deep in sleep or at the very least pretending to be deep in sleep. The white sheet is wrapped around his pelvis, tangled in his legs. Streaks of sunlight peeking in from the window stretches across the middle of his face. Makes him look brilliant. She takes in the surroundings of his room, knickknacks are strewn everywhere in true Mac fashion. On his nightstand is a pile of paperclips and rubber bands. She reaches for one of the paperclips and begins bending it absentmindedly like she's seen do Mac a hundred times.</p><p>She's not ready to leave bed yet, she has a lot to mull over. The most pressing, the only thing they did last night was sleep. She had some expectations, she always assumed if they ever got together it would be impossible to keep their hands off each other. But emotional exhaustion got the better of them and pulled them to the depths of sleep.</p><p>When Riley falls out of her reverie, she's bent the paper clip into a heart. It's hardly as perfect as Mac's intricate paper clip art but she's quite proud of it. She leaves it on her pillow as she quietly gets out of bed.</p><p>She starts her morning by surfing the internet but she can hardly focus or stop smiling at herself. At around seven hunger strikes and she starts to rifle through the fridge for something quick and easy.</p><p>When she turns around from the fridge with the milk carton in her hand, Mac is standing there holding the paper clip art with a soft smile.</p><p>"Some girl left me this," he says, holding up the heart.</p><p>Riley shrugs and places the milk on the counter. "She must be pretty into you then,"</p><p>"I would hope so, cause I'm really into her,"</p><p>They both take steps until they meet each other in the middle.</p><p>A morning peck becomes heated as his hands begin roaming all over her body, under her night shirt, delighted to find she's not wearing underwear.</p><p>He pulls away from her lips to say, "what do you think Jack will say if he could see us right now?"</p><p>She groans, unwinding herself from his arms, "way to kill the mood,"</p><p>"He'd be happy for us, right?"</p><p>Riley's eyes grow twice their size as she struggles to keep a chuckle in, "Jack? Your neurotic best friend? You think he'd be happy that your hand was just up the shirt of the girl who he's adopted in his head?"</p><p>She waits for him to realize how foolish the notion was. When it finally clicks on his face he cringes at the very thought.</p><p>"It's a good thing he's out chasing terrorist then." Mac says and she chuckles.</p><p>Their phones go off and it's time to leave their bubble and head into the real world. Neither has to say it or even imply it, they know once they enter the Phoenix, they will have to act like nothing has changed between them between yesterday and today. For everyone's sake.</p><p>Riley and Bozer leave the lab for the break room side by side. It wasn't unlike any other morning, getting coffee before Matty was ready to brief them on the mission. Being at work with a giant secret was unnerving in a building full of spies But Riley finds that it's easier than she thought. Bozer has been rambling on about his Xbox and Riley didn't catch anything he was saying.</p><p>"You know what I mean," he says and Riley nods with a nervous chuckle like she knows what he's talking about.</p><p>She swings the break room door open and has to steel her emotions because he's sitting at the table looking perfect. Though her eyes are cast downwards, she knows the moment his eyes find her, she's pretending to be engaged in Bozer's Xbox conspiracy theory but she's only interested in their nearness. And how badly she wants to jump him.</p><p>"Yo Mac, please tell Riley it's very possible NASA is using my Xbox to spy on me,"</p><p>Mac looks up from the tablet he's working on with his face scrunched together, like he hadn't heard Bozer right. He glances at her with a cheeky smile when Bozer goes into his explanation. His eyes are bright and alert, holding a secret only she knows.</p><p>"Bozer, no offense but you sound insane," Mac says.</p><p>"Whatever man, what'd you guys get up to this weekend anyway?"</p><p>Mac shrugs and Riley mirrors him, Riley says, "nothing fun really, just this-"</p><p>"And that," Mac adds. Bozer looks at them oddly and Riley sips her coffee.</p><p>Riley laughed, "exactly."</p><p>"This and that, hmm" Bozer reiterates, looking between two of them.</p><p>Both Riley and Mac nod, with their best innocent faces on.</p><p>Once Bozer looks like he's convinced, Mac smirks before sipping his coffee. The conversation steers neutral again when Russ and Desi enter the break room.</p><p>They both head for the coffee machine and begin using paper cups to make their morning cups.</p><p>Riley feels like she has a trunk full of money and guns and the cops just pulled her over. Was she supposed to feel guilty about Desi and Mac breaking up? Or wasn't she? It's all so new she doesn't know if there's a protocol. Luckily, she wouldn't have to find out anytime soon. She and Mac are not going public with their relationship, not a for a long time, maybe by then Desi would heal.</p><p>Riley sneaks a look at her, she definitely hasn't taken the break up well, judging by the way she glares at Mac when she enters the break room. Riley tries to keep her eyes averted, sipping her coffee.</p><p>Russ begins telling them about his rehabilitation and his cute nurse and Bozer is laughing at the man's 'lack of game' until he isn't. The room has gone and dead silent and Riley hasn't a clue why. When she looks up, she sees Desi looking at Mac like he had just broken up with her all over again. She storms out and Russ looks as confused she is. What had just happened?</p><p>"What was that about?" Russ says.</p><p>Everyone ignores him, Riley looks at Mac for answers but he doesn't seem to have any. They look to Bozer who's lips are pressed into a thin line.</p><p>Bozer points to the table between Riley and Mac. To the cup of coffee.</p><p>It takes Riley a moment to catch on but she realizes she and Mac have been sharing the same mug of coffee. It could have been completely innocent but Riley knows what it looked like. It looked like intimacy.</p><p>She and Mac exchange a pair of guilty looks, and then look to Bozer again who's wearing a silly grin on his face.</p><p>"I don't get it?" Russ says, on his way out.</p><p>Bozer slaps the table once Russ leaves with his coffee, "you sly little dogs. I knew it. So you two are together then?"</p><p>Mac and Riley exchange coy smiles. Bozer is the first to say it out loud.</p><p>"I'm so happy for you guys." He comes around the side of the table to give them a hug.</p><p>He's mostly smothering Riley but Mac pats his backs and says, "thanks buddy, we weren't trying to keep it from you, I just-we just didn't want to hurt anybody," Mac says.</p><p>"Too late for that huh," Bozer says.</p><p>"I should go talk to her," Mac says.</p><p>"No, let me do it." Riley says. Mac looks at her strangely, she can tell he's anxious about what might happen. She reassures him with a smile. She knows if Mac goes to talk to Desi he would be riddled with guilt. When he really shouldn't have been.</p><p>Riley's blood runs cold as she takes to the hall to look for Desi, she hasn't a clue where Desi could be. Putting herself in the situation, she knows where she would go if the roles were reversed. She heads to the bathroom on the second floor, it's the least used-a good place for a cry.</p><p>Just as she thought, Desi boots are peeking in from under the stall.</p><p>"Can we talk?" Riley says. The bathroom stall springs open like it's just been kicked. Riley doesn't doubt that it was.</p><p>She flinches a little. She's suddenly aware how hard Desi can hit. She hopes it won't come to that.</p><p>"You must think I'm an idiot? Sneaking around with Mac right under my nose? Now it makes sense why he broke up with me out of nowhere?"</p><p>She isn't expecting that, did Desi really think the worst of them?</p><p>"Desi you're way off base. That's not what happened at all. I promise you, nothing happened between me and Mac while you two were still together. I would never-he would never-"</p><p>"I'm supposed to take your word for it?"</p><p>"See, that right there is the problem, you never trusted Mac. And that break up wasn't out of nowhere. A blind person could see how unhappy you two were. He's not the type of guy to do that. You should know that by now,"</p><p>"Is this about Codex? Because Russ and I were the only ones who were behaving like rational agents that day,"</p><p>Riley gets an instant headache, it's like trying to talk to a wooden door. Is this what Mac deals with all the time? What a nightmare.</p><p>"I'm not here to argue Desi. I just wanted you to know me and Mac didn't mean to hurt you. We weren't trying to be malicious. We weren't even going to tell anybody…not for a while anyway."</p><p>Desi folds her arms,"so, I'm so supposed to what? Sit back and watch you two be together?"</p><p>She says it like it's so outlandish but it's exactly what Riley has been doing for the past few months. And yeah, it hurts like hell but she's never considered leaving because the work they do is more important and saves lives.</p><p>"I'm out of here," Desi says, brushing past Riley, not before purposely bumping into her shoulder.</p><p>After a deep breath and some affirmations in the mirror, Riley goes to the war room to find that the briefing has begun and Desi is there. Mac finds her eyes immediately, and she doesn't hold back anything from him, not that she could at this point. She's surprised to see Desi there, maybe she was all talk?</p><p>When Matty gives them their assignments and they begin to file out of the war room, Desi remains to talk to Matty. Shit. Had she just ruined Mac's best chance in the field?</p><p>Falling into step beside her, Mac gives her a subtle but effective nudge, with a small smile. All the reassurance she needed.</p><p>That night Riley arrives home last. She's tired and she needs a head massage. Saying it's been a long day is an understatement. Mac is on the floor in the living room with his legs in a wide V, tinkering with doodads. He's definitely a sight for sore eyes.</p><p>"Hey you," he says, struggling with two metal tubes.</p><p>"Hey yourself, do I wanna know what you're up to tonight?"</p><p>"I'm building you an a.c." she grins at his answer, "and I could use your slender fingers, come here," he pats the space between his legs. Riley shrugs, drops her bag, kicks off her shoes and strips off her jacket before she joins him on the floor.</p><p>Nestled between his thighs she says, "Okay genius, where do you want me?"</p><p>"On my bed and then on the deck later on," he whispers in her ear. Goosebumps prickle her skin as her throat goes dry. Did she forget how to speak? She would race him to the bedroom. He takes her silence as a wrong hint and gets back to his project.</p><p>Riley hates herself. She just never heard Mac speak like that. It's incredibly sexy, next time she'll be ready.</p><p>He chuckles, wraps his arms around hers and claps his hands over hers.</p><p>"Just screw this copper cap onto this tube until it's snug. He guides her small fingers between the tubes then leaves her to screw it on.</p><p>"So, Desi's gone?"</p><p>Mac nods, "she told Matty it won't be forever but yeah, she took off."</p><p>"How do you feel about it?"</p><p>He shrugs, "I guess I don't know how to feel. She's a good agent, I'll miss her in the filed I guess."</p><p>"I mean personally," she continues to screw.</p><p>"Personally, I'm relieved, I guess. I feel awful for running her off but it does take some pressure off the two of us. I know I shouldn't feel guilty but, I still do."</p><p>"Now Matty has to find a replacement for the replacement?"</p><p>He groans behind her, "We're going to have break in another newbie, great,"</p><p>"Tell me about it," she finishes screwing the tube but doesn't want to move from his arms.</p><p>He takes the tubes from her hand and says, "well, whatever the outcome, we'll face it together."</p><p>She feels his warm lips under her ear as he leaves a chaste kiss on her skin. Her entire body tingles and she wonders if she's waited long enough to jump him.</p><p>"Hey, you hungry?"</p><p>"Starving," she answers. Not necessarily for food, but hungry none the less.</p><p>"Good, let me install a special socket then we can go to dinner." He takes the tubes from her hand and is gone from behind her a moment later.</p><p>Riley uses the solitude to take a shower, after her shower she puts on denim shorts and a spaghetti strap blouse and goes to the deck to wait for Mac.</p><p>Her eyes fall on the record player they had danced to all those moons ago. It feels like another life, maybe a dream she hasn't woken up from. Things are so different now. It almost doesn't feel real, almost.</p><p>She riffles through his small record collection with a small smile. She can hear him mucking about downstairs, she hears the drill going for a time too. When she finds some Kenny G she carefully puts it to play.</p><p>When she hears the drill shut down her eyes gleam of deviltry.</p><p>"Maaac," she yells as if she's being chased or worse. She hears him drop the tools and race up the deck to her.</p><p>His face is flushed pink, eyes darting around ever so vigilantly. Payback.</p><p>"I thought there was an emergency,"</p><p>She shakes her head, "the emergency is that I need a dance partner," he relaxes, covering his smiling face slightly.</p><p>"You had me going there,"</p><p>She holds her hand out to him, "come on, one dance," she says.</p><p>TBC</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. One More Dance</h2></a>
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    <p>Moments Like This</p><p>Chapter Ten- One More Dance (2)</p><p>He clasps her right hand in his left and places his right hand on the small of her back. They move in unison, swaying to the music, this time unafraid to press their bodies close to each other.</p><p>"Are you happy?" he says.</p><p>She's surprised by his question. Can't he tell she's over the moon?</p><p>She nods against his shoulder, gripping him tighter for emphasis.</p><p>They sway around the firepit, making a one-eighty before he responds.</p><p>"it must have been hard, seeing me and Desi together."</p><p>She dresses back from him a little to see his face. "Are you trying to ruin the mood?"</p><p>He shakes his head no. "I'm wondering if it's the same way I felt when I saw you with Aubrey."</p><p>She's caught off guard and stumbles but he keeps them in rhythm once she recovers.</p><p>He continues, "I couldn't understand why I was so jealous at the time, but it all makes sense now. I can't bear to see you with anyone else,"</p><p>What she would give to see inside his head. Mac, jealous? That had completely gone over her head. It occurs to her she was as clueless to his feelings as he were to hers.</p><p>"I didn't even realize…" she says, "and you won't ever have to. I'm never letting you go Mac." He holds her tighter and nuzzles her hair.</p><p>"Why do you always smell so good?" he blurts out, in the spirit of speaking his feelings.</p><p>She wants to laugh at his outburst but she wants him more. She leaves a kiss on his neck, right over his mole. He stumbles slightly so she does it again, this time, raking her teeth over his sensitive skin. He sucks in a hiss and she pulls back to see his skin reddening where her mouth had just been.</p><p>"If you keep doing that, I'm not going to be able to help myself," he says, through gritted teeth.</p><p>She goes in for the kill, pulling his skin into her mouth only to release it with her teeth, inch by inch.</p><p>Heat stains her cheeks as another guttural sound escapes his lips. He stops their swaying and captures her hand, drawing it to his face. Riley goes with him, now potty in his hands. He slides one arm around her waist and pulls her snug to his hard body. She collides against him with a gasp.</p><p>He tangles the fingers of his free hand on the back of her, massaging her scalp then scraping his short nails against her skin. It makes her feel euphoric and high. They lock eyes, and she expresses her consent. His hot lips cover hers then. Her heart stops altogether and only when he slips his tongue into her mouth does it return, only now, it's more erratic than rhythmic.</p><p>Her hands slide down from his shoulders to his chest then back up to his neck. Her fingers scratch at the nape of his neck as his tongue tangles with hers.</p><p>Her desire grows in her, ready to erupt after she's been nurturing it for months. She knows in that instant, nothing can stop her from filling her need for him. She melts into his body with no resistance as he tries to pull her impossibly closer.</p><p>His tongue traces the seams of her lips only to plow into her a mouth a moment later. He repeats it until she starts making tiny squeals and moans that never make it past her lips. He smiles against her lips when she makes an especially throaty moan.</p><p>Her hunger becomes ravenous, she pulls at his neck and he responds by kissing her harder. It's his turn to groan when she presses her hips into his firmly. The sound is a deep guttural groan that compels her to do it again. Both his hands come down to clutch at her hips before grinds into him again.</p><p>He slips his hands down to the back of her thigh and hoists her up. With impressive ease, he walks them backward to the railing where he has her sit on the edge, only nestle himself between her thighs.</p><p>Riley feels wild and adventurous. Is the L.A skyline going to watch Mac make love to her?</p><p>He attacks her mouth again and she has her answer.</p><p>She clamps her legs around his waist, locking him right where she wants him.</p><p>His hands roam over her body, tantalizing and learning all the places on her body that makes her purr under his fingers.</p><p>Riley's own fingers hook into the hem of his t-shirt. She pulls away from his lips and rips the t-shirt over his head. She's not sure where it lands because his lips smash into hers again. He swallows her moans as she claws at his bare back. His skin is warm under hands and she can feel a thin sheen of sweat beginning to form on his skin. Her fingers nails dig into his back and she hears him growl in response. He nibbles on her bottom lips and she digs into his back deeper. His hips buck into hers and she grinds against his erection in response. Mac's hands tighten around her hips, like he's trying to slow himself down.</p><p>Riley is going crazy, her entire body is sensitive, she feels like an exposed nerve. Her nipples rub against his chest and her head tilts back as she cries out. If not for his firm grip on her hips, she would flip right over the railing. He's panting against her neck where he places wet kisses and soft bites against her skin. He drags his lips back to her mouth and she sucks on his tongue making him grip her tighter.</p><p>She feels one of his hands roaming under her blouse and shivers at his every touch. Moments later, he tears his lips away from her and works the blouse over her head. He then gets her bra off on record time, like he has reversed engineered it.</p><p>He stares are her bare chested, sitting on the railing with swollen lips. She's never done anything so brazen before but she feels his hands around her waist and knows he won't let her fall, in anyway. He surprises her when he reaches up and takes the hair tie out of hair. Her hairs fall over her face like a curtain and he looks at her like she's good enough to eat.</p><p>He runs his hands through her hair tenderly before kissing her lips, slowly this time, like he's worshiping her lips with his.</p><p>His hands begin to work her shorts down her thighs. His touch is sensual and delicate, making sure she feels every second of pleasure. He has to lift her off the railing to work her pants down her thighs. Once they pool around her ankles, he hoists her back on to the railing and claws a fist full of her thighs.</p><p>He kisses way down her body. Leaving a trail of swollen skin from her neck, to her shoulders and then to her stomach. It makes her breath get caught up in her throat as his kisses go lower.</p><p>He places a chaste kiss next to belly button, she shivers at the feel. Her skin is now slick with sweat and her breathing shallow when he kisses his way between her thighs.</p><p>He then loops his fingers through the band of her lace panties and they give way with one firm tug. Riley is full of energy, complete naked in front him-body and soul. His eyes fill will appreciation as he zeroes in on every inch of exposed skin. She can't imagine how she looks to him, she just knows she wet and aching.</p><p>He keeps his hands secured around her waist and just when she thinks he's going to kiss her where she needs him most, he pops back up with a wicked smirk.</p><p>Tease.</p><p>He angles her head so his kisses trail up her throat to the back of her ear where he discovers is especially sensitive. He tilts her body forward and uses one hand rub at her sensitive left nipple. He squeezes gently and her moans go hoarse with desire. She feels like she's ready to explode and he's barely even begun.</p><p>Eager to pay him back, she reaches down and cups his straining groin, or at least cups as much as she could with the size of her hand. He moves against her palm and she rubs his length again. It feels like he's going to burst through jeans so she begins working on his belt buckle. Her nimble fingers undoes his belt buckle but he's making extremely difficult to focus with his warm tongue moving in her mouth.</p><p>She gets pants and boxer shorts down his hips and hears the buckle clank as it hits the deck. She has to pull away from his lips to make sure her hands are not mistaken as her fingers are unable to grip his girth.</p><p>She's definitely going to be sore later. She strokes his hardening shaft and gasp as it pulses in her hand. She's practically dripping for him when he centers himself between her thighs.</p><p>It feels like he's moving in slow motion, he drops his forehead to hers as he aligns his pulsing shaft to her wet folds. He's barely even in when she bites down on her bottom lip. She unconsciously begins to clench up when he tips her head back to kiss her lips. His kiss is languid and his tongue feels like velvet against her own. She relaxes again and he uses the moment to slip his entire length into her. She cries out in pleasure as he begins moving inside of her. Riley completely loses herself in lust. She's never felt this good before. Mac is some kind sex genius as he hits her sweet spot with each stroke. He goes deeper and deeper and she moves her hips to match his thrust. Her moans grow louder and higher to octaves she doesn't know are in her range.</p><p>She's thrashing around on the railing and knows she should be more careful but she can't seem to care about anything except Mac filling her, impaling her ever so sweetly.</p><p>He pulls out of her and she almost cries at loss of contact. He pulls her thighs apart and thrust into her again his thrust sends her over the edge and she clenches around his length, riding out the waves of her climax. When her tremors slow to a stop, he moves one hand to her hair then begins moving inside her of once more. She's ultra-sensitive now and screams at the tender feel. He's building to his own climax when she bites onto his ear lobe and digs her nails into his back. His thrust become more erratic and she feels another climax building within her. She finds the height of pleasure almost unbearable. He slams into her over and over until she's clawing at him like a rabid animal, possibly breaking skin.</p><p>He spirals into his own climax and her name tumbles from his lips in one last desperate growl. Best sound she's ever heard.</p><p>They stay in that position on the railing catching their breaths. Mac is still slightly erect inside of her but neither of them dares to move.</p><p>She can't find the words to tell him how amazing she feels so she kisses him instead. Trying to paint how she feels onto his lips. He kisses her back slowly and eases out of her.</p><p>"You really are a fucking genius," she says and he looks quite pleased with himself.</p><p>"If I am, it's because you make me great," he says, rubbing his cheek against her damp shoulder.</p><p>He says, "should we head inside?"</p><p>"I don't think I can walk,"</p><p>With a cocky grin, he scoops her up like a bride and takes her to his room. He lays her gently on his bed and spoons up behind her. Their moist bodies cool down together. He's drawing intricate shapes on her back with his fingers and she hums contently.</p><p>"Worth the wait," she says before drifting off to sleep.</p><p>The morning comes all too soon for Riley. She's completely spent and before she can crack her eyelids open she feels her tired, sore muscles. She groans as she blinks open her eyes.</p><p>The first thing she sees is Mac. His brilliant blue eyes looking back at her.</p><p>"How long have you been watching me sleep?" she whispers.</p><p>He shrugs like it's irrelevant.</p><p>"You're beautiful when you sleep, did you know that?"</p><p>She can careless about her unkempt hair and smudged eyeliner when she turns to lay on her stomach. She loops on of her legs around his waist and nestles into his chest.</p><p>She can stay here forever. With her lower back exposed, he skims his fingers beneath the sheet and begins teasing her.</p><p>Ready for an encore she sits up and straddles him, letting the sheet pool around her waist and his legs. He's admiring her naked frame on top of him when they hear, "did somebody order a replacement for a replacement,"</p><p>Jack? Shit.</p><p>Riley's heart plummets to her stomach and she practically flies off of Mac and scrambles the sheet up to her chest just as Jack burst through Mac's bedroom door. His duffle bag hits the floor the same time his jaw did.</p><p>His eyes dart between Mac and Riley and their nakedness. He looks like he's having an aneurysm as he points to them but is unable to make sound exit his mouth.</p><p>"I fucking knew it!"</p>
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